


Superhero

by sanctuary_for_all



Series: Partners [24]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Scene, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode Tag, Established Relationship, Feels, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-04
Updated: 2015-04-04
Packaged: 2018-03-21 06:10:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3680946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Steve had been stuck in the elevator with Danny? (Alternate scene for ep 5X20)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Superhero

**Author's Note:**

> For mrmax147, who gave me the idea. :) I couldn't figure out how to get Dr. Shaw out of the elevator, but she's a perfectly nice woman who doesn't really get in the way of anything. As for the rest of the episode, just pretend Chin or Kono was there to look brooding during the scenes Steve had with Lou (if nothing else, it would make sure that at least one of them was onscreen for longer than 30 seconds.)

When he felt the elevator lurch, Steve's first thought was for Danny.

Even as his partner pressed the fire button, Steve could see that his shoulders had immediately tensed up. Steve checked his phone before Dr. Shaw could even think of it, hoping to get Danny out of there as quickly as he could, but there was no signal. When Danny turned to look at him, hopeful, he just shook his head.

Danny swore, then turned and pounded a hand against the elevator doors, shouting for help. Dr. Shaw was doing the same thing, though with less enthusiasm. The building had been almost empty, the crime scene all the way on the opposite side, but he wasn't about to deny Danny the one distraction he had at the moment.

 Instead, he scanned the elevator, looking for possible exit routes. They couldn't get the body out through the ceiling hatch, but he'd worry about that after he got Danny out.

When he noticed the silence behind him, Danny turned. "So, are you too good to help us mere mortals over here? I know your SEAL training probably means you can live on air particles for a week, but the rest of us are going to need food and water at some point."

"I know, which is why I'm going to get you out of here." He looked over at Dr. Shaw. "If I lift you up, do you think you can get that hatch open?"

Dr. Shaw looked mildly concerned. "Listen, I'm sure we can just wait this out. Someone will realize when we never show up and—"

"We can't depend on that." Danny shook his head, the panic already in his voice. "Like you said, everyone else is busy with the other body, and with the weekend so close they're probably not gonna even think about extra cases until Monday. By then, we'll all be just as dead as that guy—"

Listening to Danny in this much distress was killing him. Not able to take it anymore, he moved close enough to wrap a hand around the back of Danny's neck. "Breathe," he said quietly, cutting off the rant with a gentle squeeze. "In and out, slow and steady. I promise you I'll get you out of here."

Danny made a sound caught somewhere between humor and exasperation, the panic-induced desperation running beneath like a poison. "Are you seriously using your command voice on me right now, Steven?"

Steve let the corners of his lips quirk upward. "Whatever works. I'll even count it out for you, if you want."

"You are such a control freak." Still, his breathing slowed. "You Googled how to help someone through a panic attack, didn't you?"

"Of course I did." The research had been considerably more extensive than Googling, but there was no need to admit that part. "I pay closer attention to you than you think."

It had been upsetting as hell at the time, finding out Danny had claustrophobia and he'd somehow missed it. That his partner and best friend had been in need, and he'd failed him.

Danny's brow furrowed, temporarily distracted from his panic. "What—" Then he stopped, looking exasperated again as memory clicked. "I deliberately don't tell people about it, you dope, because it's embarrassing. The fact that it would have been convenient for you to have psychically picked up on it doesn't make it your fault that you didn't."

"Claustrophobia?"

They both turned at Dr. Shaw's careful question, making her hold her hands up in the air. "I won't tell anyone, I promise," she said immediately, voice kind. "But there's nothing to be embarrassed about. It's a perfectly valid medical condition. You can't control the fact that your brain is misfiring."

"Thank you, but somehow that doesn't keep me from feeling stupid about the fact that stuck elevators and tunnels scare me more than armed terrorists." Danny closed his eyes again, focusing on his breathing. "Don't let go, Steve," he murmured.

Steve's chest tightened. He'd rather be under heavy gunfire than watch Danny be genuinely upset. "I've got to, Danno. Dr. Shaw and I need to get that hatch open so I can get you out of here."

Danny forced his eyes back open, giving the hatch an evaluating look. "No, Dr. Shaw and _I_ will do that. If she tried to sit on your freakishly tall shoulders, she'd smash her head into the ceiling." He moved closer. "And while this is happening, my brain would really appreciate it if you just kept a hand on my back or something before you have to go do your ninja SEAL thing."

It humbled him, that something so small could clearly be that important to Danny. "Of course."

He kept his hand on Danny's back while Dr. Shaw worked, rubbing small, soothing circles. Soon, she got the hatch free, sliding it off to the side as she looked upward through the opening. "Actually, we're not too far from one of the floors. If we had something to pry the doors open—"

"I can do that," Steve assured her.

"Of course you can." Danny actually managed a smile as he helped the doctor back to her feet, his voice steadier than it had been. "You're the only person on the planet who thinks 'Die Hard' was an instructional video."

Steve grinned back. "Only for amateurs." He turned to Dr. Shaw. "I hate to say it, but you should—"

"Probably stay with the body?" she finished. "I was already planning to suggest that myself. I'll get a jump start on the autopsy and take some photos while you two get the elevator moving."  

"Good idea." He turned to Danny. "Need a lift?"

"Hey, not all of us are insane superhero giants." Even though his voice was light, Steve could still feel the tension in his muscles as he helped him out of the elevator. He then turned around and offered a hand down to Steve. "Yeah, I know you could probably fly up here. Humor me."

Steve was still smiling as he took Danny's hand, letting his partner help him onto the roof of the elevator. Dr. Shaw had been right about the doors, and Steve managed to get them open with a minimum of fuss. While he worked, Danny kept his hand on Steve's back.

When he got them open far enough, Steve and Danny both climbed out into the hallway. Danny stayed on the ground for a moment, letting himself flop backwards and taking a few deep breaths in what sounded like sheer relief. "Stairs," he said finally. "I'm using stairs the rest of my life."

"You'll regret saying that in a week." Steve sat down next to him. "You okay?"

"I am now." Danny reached over and squeezed his hand. "You know you really are my superhero, right? I kind of mock you for it, but it's a hundred percent true."

Steve's throat tightened as he squeezed back, not sure he could speak even if he had the words. Thankfully, the expression on Danny's face suggested he understood everything he wasn't saying.

Finally, Steve decided it was safe to clear his throat. "We should probably start trying to get that elevator moving."

"Yeah." Danny sighed, pushing himself to his feet before offering a hand to Steve. "Back to work."

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my weekly posts and original short fiction on my [blog](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)!


End file.
